MX338655B - Reduction of the cooling time of the beer in processing tanks by injecting carbon dioxide gas. - Google Patents

Abstract

Presented here is a procedure that helps reduce the time employed in the cooling of beer and inside the processing tanks containing it, using CO2 gas and in close contact with the beer to be cooled. Use of the gas carbon dioxide, CO2 by its chemical formula, or any other gas, that does not alter the characteristics of the beer when the CO2 is fed by injecting it through the lower intake of the tube that forms part of the cooling apparatus submerged into the beer. As it ascends, the gas travels throughout the interior of the tube of the cooling apparatus until it reaches the surface. The cooler must be submerged into the beer contained in the closed tank. The cooling apparatus is a heat exchanger built with a tube that has a jacket fitted around its entirety and length. There is an intermediate space between the tube and the jacket through which a coolant circulates. For the specific case of the cooling of beer, it is desirable to use CO2 as the gas since it was generated in the beer i tself and therefore does not alter the beer's properties. When the CO2 comes into contact with the beer, it forms a mixture. This will have a lower density than that which the beer alone possesses, causing it to rise to the surface. This is because both are flowing inside the tube of the submerged cooling apparatus. There is thus an increase in turbulence and therefore the transference of heat from the beer to the coolant, causing its temperature to lower. During the ascent, the CO2 will in turn be cooling the beer because it is in close contact with the beer as it possesses a low temperature and is subject to turbulence. With greater turbulence, i.e., a higher Reynolds Number, the heat transference coefficient increases, causing the time employed to cool the beer to be drastically reduced in relation to other cooling methods. The CO2 is recovered upon its exit from the tank and is compressed in order to be injected again through the lower intake of the tube of the cooling apparatus s ubmerged in the beer until the desired temperature is obtained. Due to the shortening of the time employed in the cooling, the tank will be ready before receiving the new charge of the must, thereby reducing the duration of the cycle necessary for the entire process in the production of beer. Another characteristic of the procedure is also that of being used during the fermentation of the beer to control its temperature. Another characteristic of the procedure is that of preventing the solid particles suspended in the beer itself from settling due to the strong suction formed at the lower intake due to the tube of the submerged cooling apparatus. The lower intake is located close to the bottom of the tank. The particles are suctioned, facilitating their mixture with the rest of the beer contained in the tank. The result is that the particles will be disseminated throughout the liquid instead of being partially settled at the bottom. Another characteristic of the use of the CO2 in the manner described is that of being able to increase the cooling capacity as it has the property of being compatible with any other de system cooling already installed in the tanks.